villagevibe march 2009
DESCRIPTION
Fernwood's Neighbourhood NewspaperTRANSCRIPT
villagevibe
in this issue Herbal Beer Making Page 2
Feature: Springridge Commons Placemaking Page 4
Local Eating in March Page 7
>> by Caitlin Croteau
Opera in Fernwood, you say? How about rock
opera? Drawing inspiration from Puccini’s
1890s opera La Bohème, Jonathan Larson’s
Rent is the story of a group of struggling young artists who
reside in New York’s Alphabet City in the 1980s.
Th is challenging and potentially controversial piece for
teenagers to tackle will be performed by Vic High students
this spring. Issues of sexuality, drug addiction, fi nding self,
and illness (La Bohème’s tuberculosis is replaced in Rent
by the shadow of AIDS) abound. Rent is so controversial,
in fact, that drama teacher Alan Penty was surprised when
Vic High’s Principal gave the green light to the project.
Th e students had to settle for a toned down school version
with some of the riskier numbers cut out!
When Mr. Penty’s students heard he’d got his hands on
a copy of the script they were excited and ready to take on
the challenge. And what a challenge it is, in both subject
matter and style. As a rock opera, most of Rent is sung,
unlike regular musicals where there are breaks between big
show numbers. Th is is only the second musical the school
has produced, but the genre seems popular among the
student body. In total there are 30 cast members as well as
a 10 person backstage crew.
Part of the reason Mr. Penty chose this piece is because
he sees Vic High’s voice as refl ective of the community.
Th e intertwined themes of marginalized residents, housing
challenges, and artistic integrity clearly have a particular
relevance to Fernwood. Th e fundamental message of Rent
is about being your own artist, your own person, and not
“selling out to the man,” something many Fernwoodians
can easily relate to.
So know you’ll have a great time when you come out
and support these emerging young artists at Vic High’s
production of Rent, which runs March 4th - 7th, 2009
at 8pm. For tickets contact: (250) 388-5456.
Broadway Comes to Fernwood
March 2009 : News and views from the heart of Fernwood
>> by R ainey Hopewell
Want to reduce your hydro bill by 60%
and have one of the hottest rooft ops in
Fernwood?
Solar BC would like to help Fernwood run
with the sun. Solar BC (a BC Sustainable Energy
Association initiative) is off ering subsidies up to
$1625.00 to help 2000 households harvest the sun to
heat their water.
And it gets even better, because now if a group of
20 or more homeowners place orders together, each
household will receive an additional $375.00, bringing
the total rebate to $2,000.00 per installation on
existing rooft ops.
AND among the fi rst 100 households to register
for a solar hot water system in 2009, two lucky
winners will be reimbursed for 100% of their expenses.
AND the new federal home renovation tax credit
also can be applied to solar installation.
AND for those of us without cash-on-hand (ha,
ha), there are low-interest loans available through TD
Bank or Vancity for this endeavor.
Going solar has always been economical, since
the long term fi nancial and environmental savings are
profound. But going solar has never been so aff ordable
or just plain neighbourly as it is right now.
Fernwood, let’s go! Th ere will be an information
meeting about solar-powered hot water technology
and the current fi nancial incentives at the Fernwood
Ph
oto
: P
atri
ck C
hen
ier
Fernwood Sun Run is HotCommunity Centre Tuesday, March 31, 7 - 9pm. Come
to the meeting even if you’re only curious! If at least 20
of us are ready to leap to sun power, we’ll contact Solar
BC to initiate the next step. Th ey will guide us through
the whole process, including fi nding reputable installers
at the lowest current market price.
Imagine a village run by the sun. Let’s call it
Fernwood. Fernwood, let’s go!
For more information about SolarBC, solar hot
water technology or the 2009 fi nancial incentives, go to
www.solarbc.ca and click on ‘We Provide Incentives’.
To get the Vibe digitally, sign up at www.villagevibe.ca
We are committed to creating a socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable neighbourhood;
We are committed to ensuring neighbourhood control or ownership of neighbourhood institutions and assets;
We are committed to using our resources prudently and to becoming fi nancially self-reliant;
We are committed to the creation and support of neighbourhood employment;
We are committed to engaging the dreams, resources, and talents of our neighbours and to fostering new links between them;
We are committed to taking action in response to neighbourhood issues, ideas, and initiatives;
We are committed to governing our organization and serving our neighbourhood democratically with a maximum of openness, inclusivity and kindness;
We are committed to developing the skills, capacity, self-worth, and excellence of our neighbours and ourselves;
We are committed to focusing on the future while preserving our neighbourhood’s heritage and diversity;
We are committed to creating neighbourhood places that are vibrant, beautiful, healthy, and alive;
and, most of all,
We are committed to having fun!
declaration of principles and values
The volunteer editorial team of the
Village Vibe decided unanimously that we really like this
issue. “You’re bang on, this is another terrifi c issue! You
notice that it’s almost a theme issue? ‘All about the earth’
or some such thing!” wrote assistant editor Trish Richards
aft er reading through the stories for the fi rst time. “Th is
is a SPECTACULAR issue,” chimed in the Vibe’s other
assistant editor Aaron Ellingsen aft er looking at the fi rst
proof, “I love it. It makes me feel like spring!”
I think we like this issue so much because it is full of
growth and hope. We only need to read the daily papers
or fl ip on the evening news to see that there seems to be
a dearth of both in the world these days. Rather we hear
tales of fi nancial ruin, shrinking economies, increasing
national debts.
What strikes me is that neither the plants at
Springridge Commons, nor the neighbourhood fruit
trees, nor the soil in which Fernwoodians will plant their
vegetables this spring have a clue that there is an economic
crisis. Th ey keep on growing just the same: taking in the
sunshine that beams down, soaking up the rain as it falls.
And there is hope too: Imagine Fernwoodians
running with the sun – thousands of Fernwood rooft ops
sporting new solar panels. Fernwoodians gathering in
the Commons for Saturday work parties. And children
and adults coming together at the end of the month for a
Village Vibe box paint in in Fernwood’s Village Square.
Th e down to earth stories in this month’s Vibe remind
us that above all – and even in the seeming worst of times
– life has a propensity to simply live.
editorial : Growth and Hope
Page 2 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | March 2009 VillageVibe
>> by Shannon Ash
As winter’s end draws nearer, pruning
season is underway. A sunny Sunday morning in
February found a dozen eager folks gathered at the
Fernwood Community Centre for a workshop on
fruit tree pruning. Sandra Nelson of Urban Oasis
Garden Centre facilitated the class on February
15 , which covered the basics of pruning with an
emphasis on fruit trees.
Pruning of fruit trees, we learned, requires more
consideration than the pruning of ornamental plants.
Growing and maintaining healthy and productive
fruit trees is an important part of supporting food
security in Fernwood. It’s hoped that pruning skills
developed in workshops like this one can be used for
fruit trees in public areas like Springridge Commons
and also for fruit trees on private land that are
accessed by the LifeCycles Fruit Tree Project. Sandra
noted that keeping a log of pruning done and harvest
results can be of help in the years-long process of
developing a fruit tree (or rehabilitating a neglected
one) to its potential, especially in a community
initiative where diff erent people may care for the
same tree over time.
Th e workshop included extensive hands-on
demonstration and practice as we gathered in
Springridge Commons to look at the trees and learn
how to decide what to prune and the best way of
doing it. Tools at hand included secaturs, loppers,
and the tree saw. Springridge has a number of
fruit-bearing trees and shrubs, and we directed our
attention to apple, cherry and plum trees, among
others. We had a good introduction to pruning
(along with handouts to help with information
retention!) and got some work done on the
Commons as well. What better place to be on a
beautiful brisk February morning?
Like the work of Fernwood NRG? Go to
CanadaHelps.org and donate
to Fernwood NRG.
>> by Don Ollsin
“Now that’s a great way to take medicine,” a
friend comments, as he fi nishes a glass of my well-aged,
homemade Echinacea Hawthorn beer. Bubbly, clear, crisp
and delicious, as well as nutritious!
Th e fi nest Belgium yeasts I use are crucial to the multi-
layering of fl avours and they are an important ingredient
for taste as well as health. Th e yeasts are the vital alchemical
ingredients that transform the malt into alcohol and the
crude herbs or ‘wort’ into refi ned medicine.
Herbs of all types have been used in brewing beer for
thousands of years. Calendula is one of my all time favourite
herbs for brewing. Its bright orange blossoms contain
anti-infl ammatory properties and are therefore healing to
sensitive tissues like those found in the gut. Calendula has a
slightly bitter fl avour, which is traditional for beer, and as a
bonus it also imbues a beautiful, golden-amber colour to the
beer.
You can create beer for diff erent seasons: a nourishing
Dandelion beer for spring; a soothing Calendula beer to sip
in summer time; a more robust Oregon Grape Root beer for
the fall; or evergreen-tip ale for the dark days of winter.
Or you can craft them for the various body systems. A
base of Echinacea works well for the immune system and
Siberian Ginseng for excess stress. It is a fun and practical
way to imbibe something enjoyable, while at the same time
enhancing your personal health.
If you are fortunate enough to have a garden, you
can grow your own herbs. Otherwise, you can ask your
neighbours if you might weed their unsprayed dandelion
patch to make herbal beer with. Or see what’s growing in
Springridge Common that you could selectively harvest
and use. Creative brewing is what homemade beer is all
about! Don Ollsin will be conducting a workshop on how
to brew your own homemade herbal beer on March 8.
To register call (250) 592-7523 or visit his website at
www.herbalhealingpathway.com
Herbal Beer Making
Fruit TreePruning
Hosted by Don and Sandy Ollsin
Cornerstone Café
Tuesday evenings in March
$15.00 per evening or $50.00 for the series
Cash, Visa, and Mastercard accepted
To register call Don at 250-592-7523
Th e Way of the Dream Film Series
above all, life has a propensity to simply live
VillageVibe March 2009 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 3
Residents pan buses without planning>> by Brenda Kennedy
Residents along Bay Street are surprised
and dismayed that BC Transit is planning to introduce a
new “cross town” bus route, without updated planning or
traffi c studies or calming measures. Bay Street is a densely
residential street that can’t handle the additional traffi c
and stress of a frequent all-day bus route. Th e residents
have formed a “community action team” to press for
answers and changes to the proposal.
Th e proposal to introduce a bus goes against the
City’s and the CRD’s own visions for Bay Street and the
neighbourhood. Th e most recent City community plan
involving Bay Street (the Hillside Quadra Planning Study)
included recommendations for speed reduction measures
and bicycle lanes on Bay Street. Th e city plan dates from
1996 and was based on data that is now 20 years old.
Residents wonder how such a drastic change to the street’s
use is proposed without an updated community plan.
Bay Street is also part of the CRD’s proposed Capital
Regional Bikeway. “Introducing a bus without also
introducing calming measures would make Bay Street
even more dangerous for cyclists, rather than making it an
important east-west link in this great cycling initiative,”
says resident and cyclist Andrew Hoge.
Th e proposal directly aff ects hundreds of families,
who aren’t feeling heard. “When we started collecting
petition signatures door-to-door, most hadn’t heard about
the bus, despite open houses that BC Transit held. We feel
BC Transit is trying to slide this plan into place without
proper consultation and City involvement, and are
concerned about making such a major change to a densely
populated street without doing a traffi c plan or involving
the community more directly,” says resident Jo Harris.
Th ere are no plans to do a traffi c study or to introduce
calming measures. Bay Street is not a well-functioning
street as it is, holding the dubious distinctions of Victoria’s
#2 and # 7 most crash-prone intersections. It is so narrow
in at least two of the two-lane blocks that signs are posted
giving bicycles the use of the entire lane. In the single-lane
blocks there is heavy street parking. Th ere are no verges,
and near Quadra there is not even a sidewalk. Housing is
very dense and the blocks are short with a lot of side street
traffi c.
“Introducing a bus to an already dangerous street
without even considering the various calming measures
that have beautifi ed streets like Finlayson is a bad idea,”
says resident Rod Pendlebury. “Th e residents are being
steamrolled by BC Transit.”
Residents are also concerned about the engineering of
the street, which is built on swamp and is already unstable
whenever trucks pass over it. Buses will cause more
damage to the road and properties. “Th e way the houses
are built along Bay, many do not have backyards, making
their front yard the only outdoor space. Eighty-four buses
a day will not aff ord us much privacy or enjoyment of our
properties,” adds resident Paul Simola.
Oak and Fern Centre for Sustainability
>> Margot Johnston & R ainey Hopewell
Unfortunately, Climate Change is real.
But fortunately, it tells us something important:
we’re doing things unsustainably.
Unfortunately, that means we have to change in
order to survive.
But fortunately, we are the species that does change
better than any other: we’ve adapted and changed for
over 100,000 years, at an ever increasing speed.
Unfortunately, we were smart enough to create the
problems of this Earth time.
But fortunately, we’re smart enough to create the
solutions.
So what are we waiting for? Climate change
presents a tremendous opportunity to invoke the
diversity, ingenuity, artistry, and fl air of our species to
create sustainable, satisfying lifestyles, to pull ourselves
back from the brink of disaster for life on Earth.
Need a boost? Need some camaraderie? Need some
solace? Need some hope?
Come to the Cornerstone Café for a Fernwood
viewing of An Inconvenient Truth and introduction
to Canadian Earth Institute discussion circles for
empowerment about sustainability. Th ursday, March
19 at 7pm. Free! Bring your own popcorn and cushion.
Coff ee, tea, and sweets provided at low cost. For info
about this event, call Rainey & Margot at 250-380-5055
or email [email protected]
Inconvenient?Maybe...Inevitable? No!
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Village Vibe Box Locations:Cornerstone Cafe–1301 GladstoMom’s Market–1358 GladstoneChez Beau Soleil–1317 CamosuFernwood Square–1284 GladstoHaultain Common–1420 HaultKoffi–1441 HaultainBicycleitis–1623 BayThe Parsonage Cafe–1115 North2232 BelmontVillage Vibe Box Locations
Cornerstone Cafe – 1301 Gladstone
Mom’s Market – 1358 Gladstone
Chez Beau Soleil – 1317 Camosun
Fernwood Square – 1284 Gladstone
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Koffi –1441 Haultain
Bicycleitis–1623 Bay
Th e Parsonage Cafe–1115 North Park
2232 Belmont
Page 4 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | March 2009 VillageVibe
Located in the heart of Fernwood, on the corner of
Chambers St. and Gladstone Ave., Springridge Commons
stands as Victoria’s oldest and largest ‘Food Forest’. Th e
Commons is composed of an immense diversity of trees, shrubs
and ground cover plants, with over 100 species represented
within its confi nes. All the plants on site are planted in guilds,
or communities, wherein fruit or nut trees are surrounded
by benefi cial shrubs, underneath which are herbs and other
‘dynamic accumulator’ understorey plants. Created to work with
the ecology of the land, our food forest continues to evolve as
the natural process of succession shades out some plants while
favoring others.
Amazingly, this bastion of biological diversity was created
upon the bare gravel of a bulldozed schoolhouse. Springridge
Elementary was destroyed in 1968 to make way for a gravel
parking lot. For two and a half decades, automobiles used the
property sparingly. Many took advantage of the empty space to
spin doughnuts in the loose gravel. Fed up with this practice,
neighbors brought large stones onto the periphery of the site and,
in the mid 1990s, began planting some drought tolerant plants in
the marginal soil.
Many of these early plantings failed, though some clung to life
long enough to see a fl ourishing of activity around the Commons
in the late 1990s. It was at this time when local permaculturalists
became involved in building the soil fertility and ecological
diversity on site. Lead by the dedication of local plant man Geoff
Johnson, Fernwoodians managed to haul tons of organic material
onto the site in an eff ort to increase fertility and support what they
dreamed would become an urban oasis of food and life.
Th eir tireless eff orts paid off and thanks to the work of billions
of micro and macro organisms (humans included), trees, shrubs
and groundcovers began to thrive. Th is brought more wildlife and
more smiles into the neighborhood.
In the summer of 2007, the LifeCycles Project Society became the
primary stewards and lease holders of Springridge Commons. As
a non-profi t organization dedicated to cultivating awareness and
initiating action around food, health, and urban sustainability in
the Greater Victoria community, LifeCycles works proactively
to promote and create personal, shared and community gardens,
research, and educational activities and youth skills development
programs in and around Victoria. LifeCycles experience in
building community gardens is unparalleled in BC.
Th e organization’s involvement has been warmly received by
the many Commons Stewards who have volunteered their time
maintaining the garden as well as the neighboring Chambers
Street Block Watch Group. Th ese people, who work in and
live around the Commons, are the true life force sustaining
Springridge.
Vision
While Springridge Commons has been cultivated for the past
12 years by wise ecological gardeners, its potential as an
educational tool remains largely untapped. To further the site’s
educational potential, the LifeCycles Project Society is working
with local artist Ayrie Cunliff e and urban homesteader Geoff
Johnson to build interpretive signage that will detail key plantings
and their uses.
feature : Springridge Commons Placemaking: Creating the
Community Commons >> by Matthew Kemshaw
Located in the heart of Fernwood, Springridge Commons stands as Victoria’s oldest and largest ‘Food Forest’.
VillageVibe March 2009 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 5
constituency office:970 Blanshard StreetVictoria, BC V8W 2H3
telephone: 363-3600e-mail: [email protected] the web: www.denisesavoie.ca
Denise SavoieMember of Parliament for Victoria
Your voice in OttawaYour voice in Ottawa
By tidying up the Commons with a few more plantings, then
installing beautiful places to sit and relax, LifeCycles hopes to create
a truly unique outdoor destination in which community members
can come to nourish their minds, souls and bodies.
To make this vision a reality, LifeCycles has submitted an application
for funding through the Evergreen – Home Depot’s ‘Rebuilding
Nature’ grant program. Th e society has asked for support to build
two large semi-circular cob benches in the center meeting area on
site. In the middle of these two benches will be a large, circular
wooden table. Standing over this will be a watertight sod roof, which
in time will support grapes and other vines growing up it.
By creating a beautiful, comfortable, and spacious meeting place
at Springridge, we can encourage more people to come out and
meet, share, and spend time in their community. Beyond providing
habitat for wildlife and food for people, the Commons was created
to draw diverse individuals and groups into relation with their place,
enabling them to experience a truly ecological urbanity rarely seen in
such a densely populated region. By working in partnership with the
Fernwood Neighborhood Resource Group, the Compost Education
Center, and the Haultain Commons, LifeCycles has endeavored to
make this third goal of the Commons a reality.
Community Engagement
Springridge Commons has always been maintained by community
volunteers. Many hands have worked to mulch, weed, plant and
prune all the major plantings at Springridge. Without these people,
the Commons simply would not exist.
It is critical that we continue to maintain community support for
the Commons to ensure it becomes a space that we can all enjoy and
use. As spring begins to blossom, we’ll need many hands to make
light work of the yearly activities necessary in the Commons. If you
are interested in: learning about ecological gardening, connecting
with your community, or just getting some fresh air, Springridge
workPARTIES are for you! LifeCycles will be organizing work
parties once per week. If you are interested, please come out on
Saturday between 10:00am and 12:00pm to get your hands dirty.
If you are interested in learning more about development at
Springridge, LifeCycles will be presenting its vision for the
Commons at the next Place Making Troupe Meeting, Monday
March 16 at 7pm in the Cornerstone Café. Fernwoodians are
always welcome at these visionary gatherings.
As Springridge Commons is located within a very urban
environment (created on the bare gravel of a degraded site) its
presence serves to inspire both the community gardening and
ecological restoration policies of community and regional policy
makers. Springridge Commons stands as a lonely example of
what we can do towards the creation of ecological, integrated
gardening projects in the urban core. Victoria’s Community
Gardening Policy document, released in 2005, shows that City
Council members and city Parks offi cials are supportive of this
kind of initiative. It is up to us as community members to become
involved and show our support for these kinds of life giving
initiatives. Together, we can create a Commons future that is
bursting with diversity and wholeness.
WorkPARTIES Saturdays: 10am – 12pm
We are looking for plants to fi ll the Commons. If you have plants you’d
like to donate, please bring them to a work party and plant them with the
Commons Stewards. Edible plants and/or plants that play well with others
are most appreciated.
If you have extra compost, leaf mold, healthy garden soil, etc. to contribute
to the site’s fertility, it is always appreciated. You can contact Matthew
to arrange pick up by calling 250.661.3805.
Page 6 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | March 2009 VillageVibe
>> by Margaret Hantiuk
I recently attended a workshop at City Hall
about our urban forest. Th e term ‘urban forest’ means not
just our trees but also shrubbery, under-storey plants, soil,
the resident wildlife, and then the built environment that
supports trees and green spaces.
Dan Marzocco, supervisor of arboriculture for
Victoria, said that our urban forest is comprised of
200,000 trees (20% on public land and the rest on private
and commercial property!) Most of the beautiful cherry
trees that line our streets were planted almost 100 years
ago, as a gift from local Japanese-Canadians. Th ere were
also maps showing that 60% of Victoria is impervious
surface where rainfall does not seep into the ground.
Rather, it’s carried off in storm drains. (Our ground water
systems need this water, so we should use more gravel and
interlocking pavers in our yards.) Fernwood is 17% treed.
As half of Victoria’s public trees are nearing the end of
their lives and will soon have to be replaced, there is much
work to be done and much planning needed to do the
work sustainably.
One of many challenges is planting with climate
change in mind: as we become steadily warmer and drier,
many of our tree varieties (cedar for one) are suff ering.
With water restrictions in mind, we must plant drought
tolerant varieties. Another is working with developers
so that existing trees will be protected and new ones
planted. While replacing and fi xing existing infrastructure
(sidewalks, roads, sewer and utility lines, etc) our arborists
now work alongside crews to minimize damage to tree
roots. City arborists and Parks crews are constantly
assessing the status of trees on public property, pruning,
watering, and generally caring for them to keep them
healthy and safe.
Th e good news is that we are all learning more about
how to care for trees, and what a tremendous asset they
are: Victoria’s public trees alone are valued at over $80
million. And it’s diffi cult to factor in the hidden assets
of trees, such as their aesthetic value that attracts tourists
and professional, business, and artistic talent to our city.
Trees have been shown to make neighbourhoods safer,
people happier and workers healthier, besides their more
commonly known roles of providing shade, food, shelter
for wildlife, privacy, buff ering sound, beautifying places,
framing views, increasing property values, reducing storm
water runoff , and magically fi ltering pollutants and adding
oxygen to our air. We all know now that trees help to
reduce greenhouse gases.
Th e City of Victoria is keen to develop
neighbourhood plans for planting new and replacing
old trees in public green spaces, but also to encourage
us to take care of our own trees in our yards, to plant
appropriate ones including more native species. With 80%
of our urban forest in private hands, it is vital that we all
understand our responsibility to protect and conserve this
invaluable resource for all of our wellbeing and for the
health of our ecosystem and the planet! Th ere are bylaws
and fi nes for removing certain species and sizes of trees
(even your own) so check out the City’s website (www.
victoria.ca) before doing so.
Why not start an ‘adopt-a-tree’ program or a
boulevard orchard? We can also help by watering our
boulevard trees in droughts and by protecting them
from damage, above and below. Please remember that
the roots of even large trees do not go down as much as
they spread out close to the surface. Th e most important
feeding roots are at the tips, beyond the canopy drip line.
All roots are essential for stabilizing the tree. Cutting
or damaging roots can weaken a tree as it cannot then
feed properly. Damaging roots also makes trees more
vulnerable to disease and pest invasion and less stable
in the face of windstorms. More info can be accessed at:
www.victoria.ca/urbanforest and www.treewatchvictoria.
blogspot.com
gleanings : Victoria’s Urban Forest Master Plan
A New Mindset on Soil
>> by Owen Bridge
More than anything else, the primary role
of the organic grower is to nurture a healthy and fertile
soil. As long as the soil is healthy, it will produce healthy
plants that will proliferate with few other inputs from their
human caretakers.
Agricultural and garden soil is an ecosystem unto itself,
but one that could be thought of as having a symbiotic
relationship with humans. Unlike the soils of undisturbed
forests or meadows, which since the last ice-age have been
steadily increasing in organic matter and
biodiversity, garden soils don’t have a constant source
of fallen leaves, dead wood, or grass roots to decompose
and add fertility and humus. To avoid degrading the long
term health of the soil in our eff orts to grow our species’
favoured plants, we need to make an attempt to replicate
these soil-building systems ourselves.
In any natural ecosystem organic matter is primarily
produced by plants at the point of photosynthesis and
eventually added to the soil through decomposition.
Without disturbance, these systems would continue
increasing soil fertility indefi nitely. Because through
agriculture we have replaced the natural order of things
that kept the soil healthy, we can’t just extract the biological
wealth (existing humus) from the soil without also adding
more biological wealth (compost, manure, leaves, straw,
etc.) to replace it. Organic matter, in one source or another,
should be added in regularly and in generous amounts.
Especially on poor, already depleted soil it’s important
to provide a boost of organic matter in order to get things
started. In parts of Asia for example, the same farmland
has been cultivated continuously for over 4,000 years and
it’s perhaps more fertile now than it was at fi rst. Th is is in
major contrast to much of North America, where in many
cases a few hundred years of human disturbance has left the
once-rich soil exhausted. Th is disparity is due in large part
to the high emphasis in Asia on increasing organic matter
in the soil through utilizing absolutely all available sources
of organic matter and using lots of manure (both animal
and human).
As well as regularly adding compost and other organic
matter, here on our farm we grow green manure crops to be
– continued on page 7
at St. Barnabas Anglican Church(Google us and learn more)
1525 Begbie Street, Victoria (corner of Belmont and Begbie)
Church Office: 250-595-4324
Learn about God during Lent
– continued on page 7
VillageVibe March 2009 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 7
>> by Lee Fuge and Susan Tychie
March has to be the hardest month of the
year to fi nd Vancouver Island vegetables to eat! Th e good
news: soon enough some of the wild local greens will
start to appear in abundance.
Some over wintering root vegetables are still available
to enjoy. You can fi nd them at the farm gate, right here
in town at the FoodRoots Winter Pocket Markets, and
through the home delivery box services that focus on
local food.
Our island climate means that we can store winter
vegetables right in the soil. Joe Kingcott up at Kingcott
Farm in Ladysmith said the blanket of snow that
stayed this winter actually kept his beets and Jerusalem
artichokes from freezing. Jasper at Madrona Farm reports
that once you chipped your way through the icy top level
the soil was easy to dig. During those snowy weeks Jasper
was digging baby carrots, rutabagas, and parsnips. At the
end of January parsnips were still in abundance and the
kale was beginning to come back. Farmers at Feisty
Field out by Prospect Lake are still harvesting carrots.
When the local crops are limited, variety comes
from how we cook and combine our food in recipes!
Roasted marinated beets are a colourful sweet addition
to winter salads.
To Roast Beets
Place whole beetroot on cookie sheet/roasting pan.
Sprinkle with oil and, and roast in 400 degree oven until
easily pierced by a fork (3/4 hour).
Allow to cool then peel and cut into a chunky dice.
Pour marinade over the beets and let sit for an hour or
longer. The vinegar acts to preserve the beets.
Marinade:
2 Tbsp Oil
4 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp Dried crumbled Basil
1 Garlic clove minced
Dash of Maple syrup
Spread marinated beets over a bed of greens, then
top with:
1/2 cup crumbled Feta
Fresh ground pepper
Root vegetables roast well in many combinations –
potato, parsnip, and carrot for example. Balsamic Vinegar
and black pepper can be sprinkled on the hot vegetables
right out of the oven. Just toss and serve.
Greens are grown undercover at this time of year,
but can be in short supply in the fi rst couple of months
because of the limited amount of sunlight. Everything is
weather dependent, and our global weather patterns are
changing. Sustainable farming means growing diverse
varieties of individual vegetables so that there is a larger
genetic pool to draw from. As a shopper and gardener
you can choose unique varieties – like heritage tomatoes
and cucumbers – to support the farmers in this process.
As the days get longer, the leafy greens start to grow
faster. Th is is true for our wild greens as well. Look
for miners’ lettuce and nettles soon in the Springridge
Commons. Pick nettles with care as they are known as
stinging nettles for a reason! Wear gloves, and be assured
that once cooked they no longer sting. For more
information on nettles check out www.vitalitymagazine.
com/node/216
Impossible Nettle Quiche
In a 10-inch pie plate, place:
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups cooked nettles, drained (steam until limp)
In bowl, combine fl our with baking powder
1 cup (250 mL) fl our
2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
1 tbsp fresh Thyme (1 tsp dried)
Using pastry blender or 2 knives cut in butter until
mixture is in fi ne crumbs:
1/4-cup (50 mL) butter
Whisk in:
4 eggs
11/2 cups milk
Pour over nettle mixture.
Bake in 350ºF (180ºC) oven until golden and knife
inserted in centre comes out clean (about 45 minutes).
Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.
Th e global food system is under threat from
changing weather patterns, rising petroleum prices, and
dwindling water supplies in crucial agricultural areas.
California farmers, who feed many of us on the west
coast, are experiencing drastically diminishing access to
water for their crops.
Closer to home, we need to conserve our own water
and the health of our soil. Th e soil is the basis of the food
system. Organic farming practices increase soil fertility
and do not rely on petroleum-based fertilizers. On the
island, we currently produce about 10% of the food
we eat. Sixty years ago, before the advent of industrialized
global agriculture, island farmers produced up to 80% of
our own food. Th at’s not long ago. Th is gives us hope that
we can do it again!!
Plant a garden – nothing is too small! Add some wild
foods to your diet. Support your local farmers. Check out
the FoodRoots Pocket Market at the Cornerstone Café
Tuesdays from 2:30-5:30.
Local Eating in March
tilled back into the soil. We try as much as possible to
avoid having bare ground in the garden. Whenever there
is no food crop to be grown, you may as well be using
the space for growing organic matter in situ. We grow
primarily buckwheat as a green manure in the summer,
as well as oats and winter rye in the fall and winter.
I always notice a dramatic increase in earthworms
and other soil life aft er we add any source of organic
matter to our formerly depleted soil. Also dramatic
is the response of plants to at last have healthy, living
soil to grow in. Th e areas of our garden that we have
focused on enriching produce much hardier, more
self-reliant plants. Th e scraggly Jerusalem artichokes
that we inherited with the farm grew to eight feet last
year aft er having compost spread over them, while the
half of their bed that didn’t receive the compost grew
to a mere two feet.
When you think about it, soil is one of the most
crucial resources that we require to survive. Th e foot or
so of topsoil that covers the world’s agricultural areas
is what our species is totally dependent on to produce
food. It took thousands of years of natural processes for
that vital resource to develop, so it’s of tremendous
importance not only to preserve but also to enrich what
we have left .
A mere handful of healthy soil has countless
billions of individual micro-organisms, consisting of
thousands of species ranging from bacteria to fungi to
nematodes. Th is is why I think of soil as an ecosystem
rather than simply as a medium for plant growing.
When any ecosystem is healthy all of its species have
the opportunity to thrive. In this case that includes our
garden plants.
Th is gardening philosophy is a quite a shift from the
predominant mindset that got us into so many of the
ecological problems we’re dealing with today, the view
that we should have total control over the ecosystems in
which we live and that all life in the garden other than
our cultivated plants are enemies and competition to be
destroyed. Th at’s an outlook on nature that we’re going
to have to collectively overcome - for the sake of all life
on earth, the sooner the better.
Soil | fr om page 6
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Calling all artists at heart!Do you have a gift with a brush?
Or do you just like to get messy with paint?
Either way, young and old are welcome to attend the villagevibe Box Paint-In.
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Sponsored by
Brushes will be provided, but paint is limited so you are encouraged to bring your own.
andThe Paint Box School of Art
For more info contact Fernwood NRG 250.381.1552
Page 8 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | March 2009 VillageVibe
what’s on in FernwoodArts, Theatre and EntertainmentBelfry Theatre – SPARK FESTIVAL.Mar 9-22. The Belfry’s spectacular annual festival. Two weeks of contemporary theatre, mini-festival of ten-minute plays, play reading series and workshops with some of Canada’s most innovative artists. Works include Bash’d: A Gay Rap Opera, RADIO:30 by Chris Earle, Haircuts by Children, Moving Along and Rage. Mini-festival features new work from local companies Gotta Getta Gimmick, WAVE Theatre, coMOTION, Where’s Noonan?, Modern Myth Physical Theatre and Theatre BOMBUS. Many Spark events FREE on a fi rst-come fi rst-served basis. See website or call for info. 1291 Gladstone Ave. Info: 250.385.6815 or www.belfry.bc.caBluegrass Wednesdays.Fernwood NRG and the Fernwood Bluegrass Association present Wednesday night bluegrass jams at the Cornerstone Café. 7:30-10pm. FREE!Collective Works Gallery.“Tossed Ashore on a Tide.” Works by Rosalie Matchett. Show runs Feb 27-Mar 13. Gallery hours>11am-6pm Tues-Thurs; 11am-8pm Fri+Sat; 11am-6pm Sun; closed Mon. 1311 Gladstone Ave. 250.590.1345. www.collectiveworks.caLive at the Cornerstone – 1301 Gladstone (at Fernwood Ave.)Mon, Mar 16. 7pm>Placemaking meeting including gala premiere of a short fi lm about Terry the bubble man and other shorts by Camosun students.Thurs, Mar 19. 7pm> screening of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth. For fi lm info see: www.climatecrisis.netSat, Mar 21. 8pm> the Cornerstone Collective’s own CHAR brings her powerhouse soulful vocals and bluesy groove to Fernwood’s living room. www.singerchar.comSat, Mar 28. 8pm> local causeway veteran Jean Bedard will play many of your favourite songs from Sting, James Taylor, Keb Mo, Chet Atkins and more!Thank you for supporting independent touring and local musicians and your neighbourhood!Live Music at Fernwood Inn.Open Mic Thursdays. 8:30-11:30pm. 1302 Gladstone Ave. FREE!Live Music at Logan’s Pub.1821 Cook St. www.loganspub.comMinistry of Casual Living.1442 Haultain St. Info: www.ministryofcasualliving.caVictoria Bluegrass Association Jam.Tuesdays 7:30-10pm. Orange Hall. 1620 Fernwood Rd. $2 to play ($3/non-members). Listen by donation. www.victoriabluegrass.caVictoria Folk Music Society.Sundays. 7:30pm Open Stage. 9pm Feature Performer. (Mar 1>DAVID LOVINE. Mar 8>TIM WILLIAMS. Mar 15>KITANGUS. Mar 22>TANIA OPLAND and MIKE FREEMAN. Mar 29>IAN TAMBLYN.). Norway House. 1110 Hillside Ave. $5 feature performer nights/$3 all open stage night. www.victoriafolkmusic.caVic High presents: RENT.Broadway Musical theatre hits the ‘hood.
Come out and support Victoria High School’s production of Jonathan Larson’s Rent. Mar 4-7. 8pm. Tickets and info, contact 250.388.5456
Kids and Families at the Fernwood Community CentreFamily Community Day.Family fun directed and facilitated by the participants. Snacks, crafts, play equipment and varied themes. Mondays 9:30-11:30am. Fernwood Community Centre Gym. FREE!Parent and Tot Playgroup.Snacks/Crafts/Circle Time. Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30-11:30am. Fernwood Community Centre Gym. $1 per family.New!! Food Skills for Families Workshop.Workshop provides participants with the tools and inspiration to create nutritious, interesting and delicious meals while having fun in a social setting. Six-week session starting Mar 28. Saturdays, 3-6pm. Fernwood Community Centre. For info contact [email protected] or 250-381-1552 ex.122. FREE!
Youth, Adults & SeniorsFairuza Fridays.Drop-in Co-ed. Ages 10-14. Nintendo Wii, big screen movies, basketball, fl oor hockey, roller skating, music. Fridays, 7-9:30pm. Fernwood Community Centre. Info: 250.381.1552 ext.25 FREE!Falun Gong.Peaceful meditation practice. All welcome! Wednesdays, 5-7pm. Fernwood Community Centre MPR. FREE!Fernwood Seniors.55+. Gentle exercise, lunch and activities. Monthly special guest speaker. Fridays, 11am Fernwood Community Centre MPR. $2 for lunch.Floor Hockey.Drop-in Co-ed. Adult (18+). Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7-9:30pm. Fernwood Community Centre Gym. $4, or get a punchcard: $40/11 sessions.**Flow Yoga.With certifi ed instructor Jay. Adult. Fridays 5:30-7pm. $5. Fernwood Community Centre Gym.Hatha Yoga.With certifi ed instructor Elke. Gentle poses, breathing practice, deep relaxation and meditation. Tuesdays, 3:30-5pm. Fernwood Community Centre Gym. $5.Karate.Drop in. Adult Co-ed. Instructor Lucas Trottier. Sundays, 1-2:30pm. Fernwood Community Centre Gym. $3.**Kundalini YogaMondays, 7-8:30pm. $5 drop-in. Fernwood Community Centre.Moksha Yoga.With instructor Lena Simmons. Tuesdays. 7:30-8:30. $5 drop-in. Fernwood Community Centre.Tai Chi.Thursdays. 4:30-5:30pm. Fernwood Community Centre. 1240 Gladstone. $5 drop-in.
Women’s Soccer.Drop-in. Sundays 5-6:30pm, Fernwood Community Centre Gym. $3.**
**We accept Sports Trader Bucks and Canadian Tire Money at face value!
Special EventsFern Fest 2009!!Sat, June 20, 2009. 11am-11pm. Come out and help us in our celebration of the wonderful Fernwood Community! Live entertainment, family activities, beer garden, BBQ, Workshops and more! Free admission.Fernwood Business Network.Everyone welcome. Tues, Mar 3 (fi rst Tues monthly). 10am. Fernwood Inn. For info contact Ryan Rutley at [email protected]é Con Leche.Drop in to chat and visit with other breastfeeding moms and babies in a funky friendly café. A La Leche League Leader will also be present. Mon, Mar 9. koffi , 1441 Haultain Street at Belmont, 10am. For more info contact [email protected] Green Drinks.An inclusive gathering of the sustainability-minded for refreshments and conversation. Tues, Mar 10 (second Tues monthly). 5-7pm. Canoe Brew Pub, Marina and Restaurant 405 Swift Street. For info see www.greendrinksvictoria.caFernwood’s Outrageous Recycling Day.Bring your CLEAN plastics, styrofoam packing and food trays, electronics and foil-lined coffee/chip bags. Sat, Mar 14 (second Sat monthly). 10am-1pm. Across from Fernwood Community Centre. By donation. Fernwood’s Outrageous Recycling Day seeks volunteers! Come help us make it all happen! For info: [email protected] Place Making Troupe.All Welcome! Life Cycles brings us their exciting new vision for Springridge Commons. Come hear about it, and share you thoughts and aspirations for our beloved Commons. Monday, Mar 16 (third Mon monthly). 7pm. Cornerstone Café.Fernwood NRG Food Security Collective.All welcome! Tues, Mar 17 (third Tues monthly). 7-9pm. Fernwood Community Centre MPR. [email protected] Leche League – Victoria Evening Grp.Breastfeeding information and support - meet moms and babies, moms-to-be, and older siblings. Thurs, Mar 26. 7-9 pm. For info contact Uschi Leslie at 250.595.4453 or [email protected] NRG Food Security Collective hosts: Monday Movie Nights at the Cornerstone.Screenings of food security–related fi lms. Mon, Mar 30 at the Cornerstone. 7pm.Bring the Sun – Solar Heating Info and Options Session.It may be winter in Fernwood now, but the Sun is never far away…. Come out to an info session on the economics, options and incentives available for solar domestic water heating systems. For a primer on the
Published by Fernwood NRG (Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group)
1240 Gladstone StreetVictoria, BC V8T 1G6T 250.381.1552 F 250.381.1509villagevibe@fernwoodneighbourhood.cawww.villagevibe.ca
Editor: Lisa HelpsAssistant Editors: Aaron Ellingsen, Trish Richards
Contributors:Shannon AshOwen BridgeCaitlin CroteauLee FugeMargaret HantiukRainey HopewellMargot JohnstonBrenda KennedyMatthew KemshawDon OllsinJo RouecheSusan Tychie
The views expressed in the Village Vibe do not necessarily refl ect the views of Fernwood NRG.
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technology and available incentives see www.solarbc.ca and the March Vibe article. Mar 31. 7-9pm Fernwood Community Centre. FREE!Fernwood Community Kitchen.Cook nutritious, creative meals with your neighbours! Info: [email protected] Ridge Commons Workparties!Come get your hands dirty in Fernwood’s only public food garden. Saturdays, 10-12pm at the Commons. Please bring tools if you’ve got ‘em.Village Sustainability Workshops.Ongoing workshops at the Oak and Fern Centre. Contact Rainey and Margot for information at 250.383.9171 or [email protected] Fernwood Commons: A Fernwood Community Communication Forum.For info on Fernwood comings and goings and neighbourhood news and views, check out The Fernwood Commons online: http://thevillagevibe.ning.com/
If you have a workshop or special event idea for the Fernwood Community Centre or the Cornerstone Café email [email protected]
If you have a Fernwood event you would like listed in the Village Vibe calendar please send an email with the subject line “vibe calendar” to [email protected]